Causes and Natural Treatments For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Simply being aware and implementing a few easy techniques at home and work, people can prevent repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome from occurring and have many years of good health .

Carpal tunnel syndrome are a numbness or tingling in the hands, a burning sensation in the fingers or sharp pains shooting up the arm,. With carpal tunnel syndrome it can be difficult to differentiate between hot from cold by touch. An apparent loss of hand and wrist strength is often experienced. Neurological findings are reversible especially if the symptoms are intermittent.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (cts) results when the median nerve does not work properly. This is thought to occur when there is too much pressure on the median nerve as it runs down the forearm into the wrist through the carpal tunnel. It becomes easier to understand how this occurs by understanding some of the anatomy of the wrist. The median nerve supplies sensation to the index finger, long finger, thumb, and half of the ring finger. A branch of the median nerve supplies sensation to the muscles of the thumb, the thinner muscles. These muscles are very important as they help move the thumb so that you can touch the other fingers.

The median nerve begins at the base of the skull. It may become irritated anywhere along the path to the hand. Possible causes of irritation are misaligned bones in the neck, tight neck muscles , shoulder problems, inflamed tendons and misaligned bones in the carpal area can all result in irritating the median nerve. The wrist and neck are both areas for the median nerve to become irritated. When there is irritation in both areas, it is called a “double crush syndrome. ” Wrist only surgeries often overlook the neck contribution resulting in continuing problems as the patient continues to experience carpal tunnel symptoms.

Changes in the balance of body fluids resulting from pregnancy, menopause, thyroid, kidney disorders, and diabetes contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. Nerve damage from alcoholism, or physical damage to the wrist area produces inflammation that increases symptoms of pain and numbness.

Poor posture (such as sitting with slumped shoulders) can cause irritation of the median nerve especially in the shoulder area as well as slips or falls, repetitive movements improperly done over time, awkward hand positions and hobbies such as bowling or tennis.

Your diet can be a major factor in CTS. A diet that insures that you are getting the necessary nutrients and minerals is essential for bodily healing. Do research on diets or seek out nutritional consultants.

There are several alternative procedures to consider to help relieve the symptoms. Ultrasound therapy has been effective in that it raises the temperature of the carpal tunnel promoting healing Several energy techniques are becoming popular. Acupuncture and acupressure are nonsurgical alternative forms of treatment worthy of consideration. Yoga is also worth looking into for carpal tunnel syndrome relief. Yoga releasing techniques are very beneficial. Also seek out the assistance of a chiropractor. Chiropractors are trained in the relationship that nerves, muscles, and tendons have to each other.

Another Excellent Video

Below is another excellent video on relief from carpal tunnel syndrome

Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Try these steps for preventing carpal tunnel syndrome. You can do these at your work place. Try  to incorporate many if not all of these preventive measures for easing the symptoms and thereby preventing carpal tunnel syndrome.

1. Exercises- To a great extent  exercises play a crucial role in preventing carpal tunnel syndrome .  Increased  blood circulation in the affected area and prevents swelling of  the ligaments and tendons. 
.

2. Frequent short breaks- Frequent short breaks  helps in relaxing your body,  preventing inflammation of the tendons and ligaments  thereby preventing carpal tunnel.

3.Posture- Maintaining the correct  body posture and wrist position ,  decreases any pressure buildup on the carpal  area  avoiding any inflammation  or swelling. This helps prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.

4. Maintain warm hands- Wear fingerless gloves. This will provide blood circulation in all areas  and also keep your hands warm and flexible increasing the blood circulation. Due to repetitive motion of the hands many people are at the risk of injury.  Wrist braces are often used during sleeping hours to keep the wrist from bending and restricting blood circulation

.Doing some stretching exercises several times during the day is very beneficial.

.Symptoms of CTS

The  carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms may vary with each individual. Some common ones are:

-Pain in the hands-  A pinching type of pain  starting at the wrist and spreading to the palm of the hand, sometimes reaching the fingers. It is often confused as arthritis pain.

-Pain in the fingers- intermittent pain waves are experienced within the finger tendons. This is again  mistaken as arthritis pain. 

-Feeling of weakness-Strength of the hand and wrist is often reduced. Sometimes because the pain is to severe to continue.

- Tingling and numbness- This is described also as the feeling of needles or pins. Also, there can be  an inability to hold onto small objects

Apply least invasive options first

The following article is a very interesting read. I think that following the authors lead will benefit us in other health issues.

John Arts Abundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz

Some years ago I suffered badly from tendon inflammation in my hand.
It was swollen, painful and had very little strength. I had a carpal tunnel operation which released some pressure, but did not solve the problem. I had about 20 per cent use of my hand and I remember muttering to myself that I may as well cut it off. It wasn’t a serious thought, but the problem was so bad that some radical hand surgery was booked. Before I had surgery I decided to make sure I had exhausted every non-invasive option first. I went on the most intensive micro nutritional regime possible within the maximum safe levels and this included Omega 3 fish oils, a range of antioxidants including 500+ mg of flavanols, trace minerals and a complex of other anti-inflammatory natural compounds. After three months the hand had improved so much I cancelled the surgery and now have 100 per cent use of my hand.
The best lessons in life are those that you learn from experience. What this taught me was to always try the least invasive options first before turning to higher risk options, which in this case was an operation with an uncertain outcome. This approach obviously does not apply to any acute or serious health problem.
There are a number of reasons why we look to what are essentially higher risk, more invasive solutions first. It can be anything from being impatient to a lack of information. One of the best things anyone can do if you have health problems is to become as informed as possible and I am encouraged when people contact me looking for more information about their problems. One of the best sources of information on health problems is the prestigious Mayo Clinic – www.mayoclinic.com – which provides free information on virtually every health problem and looks at various treatment options.
When using a complementary approach to health problems there are several things to consider. Firstly, it is important to have a proper diagnosis and symptom relief where needed. Secondly, you need the right nutrients at the right levels. The third factor is time. Many prescribed medicines work very quickly. Nutrients work more slowly by trying to restore normal cell function and therefore it is important to think in three monthly time blocks with a month by month review.
John Arts is the founder of Abundant Health. For product information
visit www.abundant.co.nz If you have questions or would like a free health plan phone 07 578 9051 or 0800 423 or email john@johnarts.co.nz You can join his newsletter at www.johnarts.co.nz

Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment Options For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

I found this interesting article on using chiropractors for carpal tunnel pain relief and wanted to include it in my blog.


Do you feel numbness and tingling in your hand? This could be one of the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway located on the palm side of your wrist. This tunnel protects a main nerve to your hand and nine tendons that bend your fingers. Pressure placed on the nerve produces the numbness, pain, and eventually hand weakness that characterize carpal tunnel syndrome.
Some of the most common symptoms seen with CTS are: numbness and tingling in your palm, pain radiating to your upper extremity or down into your palms, weakness in your hands, and a tendency to drop objects. If you have been experiencing the symptoms of carpal tunnel and you have a job that does repetitive motion, such as computer operators, typists, packers, or assembly line workers, you should seek care as early as possible so that the condition can be corrected quickly.
Your chiropractic doctor has several approaches that can treat the many causes of numbness and tingling in your wrists. Such treatment could include physiotherapy, strengthening exercises and adjustments. Physiotherapy treatment is usually based towards restoring strength and improving blood flow. Adjustments are helpful if the misalignment of bones are causing nerve impingement.
Some of the recommended things you can do to reduce the numbness in your wrists include: taking a 15 second break every 5 minutes when you are doing repetitive task, taking medication to reduce the swelling, and using the Powerball Gyroscope, a device that takes your wrist through all the ranges of motion while adding resistance. Massaging and stretching the forearm flexor muscles will also help reduce the painful joints.
Symptoms of numbness in your palms can be early signal of developing the CTS. If you continue to experience pain, numbness and tingling to the wrist, despite wearing a wrist brace at night, stretching the forearm muscles, perhaps it is time to consult with a chiropractic doctor who specializes in soft tissue treatment. It is a good idea to find a non-invasive treatment option to heal your carpal tunnel syndrome before considering surgery. For relief of your carpal tunnel syndrome in San Diego, CA call the doctors at New Century Spine Centers at (619)630-9153 so you can get back to living a pain-free, vibrant, healthy lifestyle right away.

by Michael Pritsker on June 28, 2011 in Exercise